Army Guy

Your right, we were governed by Canadians, But our history is full of examples of those very Canadians having strong ties to the Crown, and British government, All they had to do was ask and they knew we would follow, Boar war adn WWI are prime examples....in fact they did not have to ask English Canada jumped at the chance to serve Britian. We as a nation were still very dependant on Britain, our foreign policy as you mentioned was pretty much directed by Britian, along with our small professional military forces which were commanded by British Generals. In there eyes we were still a colony, regardless of what independence we thought we had... Your right our dollar back then was a Canadian concept, but even today, as most British Colonies it still reflects our British history, as in it is laced with pictures of the British Monarchy, still showing they have influence in our Canadian culture. My link Not according to the above source , and perhaps i'm reading it wrong, But it was British legislative Assembly that voted in an amount of 75,000 British pounds for the construction of the parliament house, one would assume that they also had a say in how the money was spent, and it was them that placed Mr Fuller to oversee the project. So my post of the Queen had chosen was wrong, my bad...but was not that far off. The Canadian side of the house did offer a 1000 dollars for the best design, and it was them that picked the contractors... And while many of those Canadians where EX pat British citizens, which still to a great extent consider Britain the mother land , how could we not say that Britian did not have an influence over our nation, because we had at the time a pice of paper saying we were Canadians, all they had to do was ask , infact in alot of cases they did not have to ask but Canadians ran to Britian and Asked what can we do...Such as the Boar war and WWI...It was a different time, and although they were Canadians they were British first...like you said we did not have control over our foeeign policy until after the 20's, our Military forces commanded by British generals, there must have been a tremedous British influence, there.... I did say that yes, i like some others here think 5 Bil dollars for the entire project is alot, even when we are talking about rebuilding these strutures to todays codes and standards, I used the World trade buildings as an example of what 5 bil gets you...and these new buildings are very impressive. to clearly show the differences, one one hand we get these historical buildings brought up to todays code, on the other hand the sky is the limit, which could reflect Canada today... If they where in the shape ours are today, i would say that is an option....

And yet we were still very much under British rule until the just after the 1920's, and even today we still base most of our government type, policies, traditions,money, commander and chief etc etc under the British system, they still have influence over our nation, one way or the other. the orginal Center block was destroyed by fire , it was completed at the same time as the rest of the buildings. And yet the British still had great influence over our nation. Are you saying that those buildings do not reflect British designs of the times, if not british then what, I mean it was the Queen herself you chose Ottawa as the Capitol, and the site for parliment , and chose the architects how much more influence can you have.....are they french design, italian what ?. Are you saying that Britain did not have a major influence for a major portion of our history? And that influence is not part of our colonialism....Shit No it's not , but the new trade center is a powerful reminder and image to not only the American people but to the world. I was using this as an example of just what 5 BIL could build.

I agree they are some of the most historical buildings within our nation, however they were built in a time when Canada was a different nation, than she is today, these buildings represent something we are not today. we are not an english colony, under British rule...But rather we have become something different, most of Canada still discuss the role the British monachy should play within our Government, traditions, policies, and direction our country is moving towwards. And i think the majority would agree most of those influences are gradually fadding away...being replaced with something new. And while i would agree that a few of them should remain, for historical reasons, perhaps it's time for us to build something new....something that will represent Canada of today, a modern new image... The new world trade center, stands at 1776 ft tall and is estamated to cost only 2 bil...with 2.5 bil at our disposal i'm sure Canada, could come up with a new Canadian image... I guess my piont is spending 5 bil on governmental buildings with no real change to the face or statement they represent, is not a good investment.

Bullshit. Take a look at the orginal contracts the government put out on their first announcements and tell me they have not been slashed or cut back...Look at the Lav project it went from purchasing New LAV H to repairing what we have now, The CH-47F helo purchase was cut from it's orginal amount to 16 and it's being looked at once again. You say funding is being transfered from project to project, such as the CCV and TAPV, is bullshit, CCV are expensive and expensive to operate, there fore cut back in favour of a wheeled TAPV or Armoured car...it was a governmantal decision, not DND one in the end it is a cut or slashed contract. I like the Currency Valuation adjustment...on the JSS, from 3 to 2 , maybe even down to 0ne. I call it slashing a contract reducing the number because there is not enough money to purchase everything...which is fine...but it still a contract amendment, and the orginal QTY DND asked for was for the minimum amount needed to carry out the tasks assigned by our government...If there is not enough funds then cut back on the tasks or reassign how things are paid for...

We've had record budget defecits since 1975.....And yet we continued on like there was no tommorrow. And i get your piont, but these purchases have already been taken into account in the Budgets, so they don't create negs, or defecits.

Sounds like a bunch of emaciated , illiterate drug addicts to me.... My link

we did'nt borrow any money for these aircraft...

Yes it does have alot of to do with comparisons, take Japan for instance spends 1.4 of thier GDP on defense, which translates into well over 50 Bil. If Canada has a good year in the oil patch and our GDP, increase two fold does that mean DND gets more funding alotted , no they don't. what my piont is it all needs to be taken into context all the figures , not just one. Actually if you read the entire post you'll find I did'nt bring it up, some one else did and i was correcting him. And all militaries don't face the same problem, each nation has a completely different way in which they break their budgets down, what they pay for , how much they pay their soldiers, what benifits they get, what there missions and taskings are....for instance any military mission we go on is taken out of the DND budget, in most countries it is foreign affairs that pay for that, etc etc etc....All of that needs to be taken into context as well, then you'll get a clear picture on where our defense dollars go. and what is needed. I think if you goggle it you'll find that DND is or was the top contender for dept cut backs in regards to the 10 plus years when they where slashing. and you'll still find evidence of cut backs today, in regards to new contracts being cut, almost all of them have been cut back, due to cut backs. And while DND has enjoyed being in the black for some time now so have all the rest of the Depts...

Your right the work is not comparable, Because in the end the new world trade center buildings will be brand new, state of the art buildings. which will send the same type of message to the world about what they represent. But on the other hand we will have rebuilt historical buildings representing our past. As for the cost of the new world trade building at 1776 ft tall is 2 Bil US dollars, So your right in saying the other half is for Very expensive potential new buildings.

One thing for sure mike is toronto fans have to have big hearts and hopes...And the leafs are a dynasty, they are one of the few teams that fans will pay full price for...as soon as the leafs come to town the price of tickets go up, i know what your thinking everyone loves to watch the leafs get beat....but why is that...because deep down everyone loves them ...

Why is that ?, I'd like to know what is your thought process here....Why would you need to fire a second round....you already mention below that it is not for mercy....or perhaps it is, i mean You are the reason this animal is in it's condition, so why not...seems some what selfish to think you would not end another animals life to ease it's suffering....because you did not wound it in the first place.... It's not his duty, but rather what he did was clearly again'st the LAW, just so we are clear, outside of the law and into the realm of being a good humanitarian is what we are talking about, to ease this terrorists pain and suffering...The Capt made a call one that he will live with for the rest of his life...wrong according to the LAW, but perhaps right when doing the right thing...I hope i'm never in that situation as i'm not sure what i would do...everything we do in the world is black and white, right or wrong, but in combat there is alot of grey areas...this is one...

Food for thought the est cost of replacing the twin towers in down town new york, which includes 7 strutures including a 1776 ft world trade center,is 6 Bil US dollars. what is it we are getting for 5 bil again...

And why that may be true as of today, your comment is misleading how long has DND been the largest budget with the federal government. And while DND is the largest overall budget roughly 10 % of the federal intake, it is by far not the largest spender of federal funds... Your last comment confuses me, on one side of your month you say " That doesn't mean that they should get it at the expense of something else." And yet i've clearly pionted out that DND military budget has taken a lions share of % of cuts in regards to the other federal depts, or any other Federal program. And the civil service pension fund was raided to the tune of over 25 bil, and yet nobody else was touched , did your pension fund get robed of it's so called surpluses, correct me if i'm wrong, but you did say "it should not be done at the expense of others.....or is that just advice just to include the military..... Perhaps you can list those depts and governmental funded services that were cut on the same lines as the military..... I'm not moving them you are, Germanys, does spend 1.3 % GDP, but what you fail to list what dollar value that represents, almost 38 bil....But they also have close to 250,000 troops under arms.... Spain does also spend 1.2 GDP, and in 2009 spent 17.7 Bil dollars on defence, with Active Military Personnel: 177,000 [2008] Active Military Reserve: 328,500 [2008] Active Paramilitary Units: 72,600 [2008] Nether country faces the same problems as our military does, nor does their budgets break down the same, so really one can not compare the two or three countries you chose if you want to compare apples with apples then fine...but your not.

We are not broke, Really let me ask you this, when the military Budget and Civ service pension fund raided to pay down debt and bal budgets was every other area slashed. We have just begun to rebuild the damage done, and already you've lost interest.

I'm sure this is tied to the F-35 purchase somehow.

Really , because we have different opinions on the military, And whuile we may be some of the longest lived and most educated people on the planet (your quote) are you saying we are getting the best bang for our buck, because there are lots of countries out there doing it better for alot cheaper.... So your OK with a BIL plus spent on security for the games, and a Bil Plus spent on security for the G-8....and that it could not have been done for cheaper.... You can't compare Canada to Germany or Spain, GDP's don't match nor does the populations, or the size of their militarys, Nor have there militaries been eroded for 10 years and need to be rebuilt....

Canadians can't have it both ways, they can't talk about sovereignty and being everything except American, then out of the sides of their mouths let Uncle Sam protect us from the bad guys....Kind of like picking out a new car and lettting your neibor foot the bill, while you drive it around town...and if thats OK with you they don't be surprised when they start making the rules as that is the price you pay..... 1.3 % of GDP is tight, when put in context of the bils we piss away for nothing, example Winter games, G8 conference etc etc...and how much we pay for other programs that are not world class, but should be for the amount we pay into them, example health care, education.

That was my piont, instead this government decided to spend funds on giving the Navy an armed Ice Breaker, and a bunch of coastal patrol boats....and yet the Navy was asking for Ice hardened Frigs or destroyers.... No the govenment of the day gets to do that...And that needs to be done in line with set out policys and defense reviews... No the Navy is not designed or set up to perform this function either, it is either a Coast Gaurd or DFO function, to stop and board fishing ves.... Never say they were, What i said is an Ice Breaker is a coast guard job, and function....it has no known function within our military or navy....plucking a deck gun on it does not make it a naval ship, No but an F-35 is a tool in the box in regards to force escalation, when the coast guard can't stop a ship an F-35 does make sense.

Take a look at how many hours of operation our navy spends on Fisheries patrol...compared to actually patroling our coast lines or on true naval tasks...

Any military that can still project over a million troops is still a threat, the real problem, is are the Russian as bad off as we think they are...history has shown them not to be...i mean how many nations have cashed in on the peace bonds after the cold war....how many nations actually cut their militaries to the bone in the process....most of them still recite that same old phrase the russians are dead nobody is left to fight....and while i pray to the war gods that is true...reality says the russians are still have a huge influence in global affairs, and can still project power if need be.

Thats false, the problem has never been getting recruits, the problem is not having the infra structure to train or house them all of them...and that needs a major investment. and it's normally the first to get cut...

Ice breakers and coastal patrol boats the navy has already said it does not need, those where chosen by the party in charge....because that is what they thought we needed...no mention to ice harden frigs or destroyers something most northern countries have. Ice breakers are a coast guard function, arming it with a small platform gun is just a waste of money, ever seen a ice breaker in action, try dodgeing a missle at 2 or 3 knots , shit a guy on the ice pack could sink it with an RPG....Coastal patrol boats where brought up as a cost cutting measure to cut down on the time our frigates where on fisheries patrol,or assisting our governmental debts....if we had a coast gaurd similar to the US the naval would not need small patrol boats....

I was reffing to the so called Decade of darkness, and while it's great that we are spending 22 bil , my question is this , is it enough to make up for all the short falls created during those lean years...in my opinion no it's not...

DLS: Not sure who your adressing this to, but i don't think anyone is really talking about a Russian invasion, but rather Russia's military strength and her abilites to influence global matters. Counting Russia out of anything is a huge mistake, during the cold war Russia had the ability and Amb forces to conduct large Amb landings, and still does, infact they just purchased more Amb landing craft off France...And while Canada may not be a target it still needs to be taken into account as a threat... That being said these Amb forces are used in taking a hostile beach, or a defended shore, any nation that has civilain RO-RO ships could effectivly launch a large enough force provided they had a dock or port deep enough for these ships....So lets not count that theory out just yet... As for your comments on the Canadian military, i'd like to ask on what experience or knowledge do you base that on, The military has for years been screaming that our size needs to be increased, our combat formations that is...i'd be curious to know just how big you think our land force is ? As for adapting to it's requirements you've got to be kidding, we are the master to adating to anything, and pulling off taskings and missions out of our asses because we 've been so well funded,(joking) but mostly because there is still a large group of Canadians that don't have a clue on what it is we have been tasked with, or how we are equiped...or what it takes to pull off thesse taskings or missions...and yet these are the same people who know whats best for our military.

perhaps i should have been alittle clearer, an individual has the right to make choices, be it Legal or illigal those choices can be freely made, we must however live with the consquences of our actions or choices. The Agreement does touch on and was orginally penned to cover both official militaries and the min age one can be involved in combat operations. but it also included the child soldiers coming out of the African conflicts, it has serveral paras, which deal with their treatment, touches on punishment and medical / mental health aspects. But as with any UN document it is written by a bunch of lawyers in a language that is not clear to us laymen, and should have covered or cleared up things like illigal combatants etc... Agreed, our government has bungled this from the start.